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GEO vol. II, #7: The Cooperative Advantage

In this issue we present four excellent articles addressing seemingly diverse topics: worker cooperatives in China, spontaneous cooperatives in an intentional community in Ithaca, New York, a study comparing the worker productivity in Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP) firms to traditional capitalist firms, and the state of gender equality in worker cooperatives; however, the uniting theme of the issue is the "cooperative advantage." Worker cooperatives are not only the most fair, democratic, and equitable way to organize work but also the most efficient.

Robert Ware describes the rebirth of Gung Ho in China. Originally founded during the 1930s during the Japanese occupation of China, Gung Ho is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of producer cooperatives throughout China. Ware recently visited Gung Ho and describes the current challenges of this dynamic organization.